A rabid goat has been confirmed north of Huletts Landing in Essex County.
In addition to this, there have been 4 rabies positive raccoon’s, multiple skunks, and 1 fox in Washington County within the past year.
Rabies is spread through the saliva or brain tissue of an infected animal. In many instances, it comes through a bite. If treatment is initiated promptly following a rabies exposure, rabies can be prevented. If a rabies exposure is not treated and a person develops clinical signs of rabies, the disease almost always results in death.
In animals, many times the animal gets aggressive. In other instances the animal grows lethargic. Seeing a nocturnal animal in the daytime can be a sign that that animal has rabies.
Exposure to rabies may be minimized by:
* having all pets vaccinated and keeping them up-to-date on their vaccinations
* avoiding contact with all wild animals, especially those acting abnormally (such as being out during the day when they are typically nighttime animals)
To control the spread of rabies in wild animals, such as raccoons, the New York State Department of Health oversees projects to distribute a special bait containing rabies vaccine. Baits are placed in areas frequented by raccoons in order to immunize them against rabies.
Please be careful, rabies has been found in numerous animals nearby.